let your light shine

People let their light shine through
the stain glass sun and their true beauty
is what sparkles

The Time

" The time is always right to do
what is right"


something Martin Luther King JR. once said.

Firsts

There are many firsts in a person life
starting with the day you were born
for an infants life there is the first smile,
first time you sit up, have solid foods,sleep through the night
first time you crawl, the first time you walk, talk, and
of course your first birthday!

Today marks one of my great nephew's first birthday! This is special
because he arriving in this world was a miracle. I don't get to see him
in person as often as I would like to, but his Nana sends me photos and videos
to watch so I don't feel as if I have missed that many of his firsts!

hard to believe how fast a year flies by. Seven days from now
my baby ( my son) will reach a first of his own, He will be 18!
and as I write this It reminds me of what a miracle he was arriving into
this world and (my sister, my great nephew's Nana was there to share that with me)

Each of these boys will have many more "Firsts" in their lives
earlier this morning I was looking at a photo album and I came across photos
of my son's 1st birthday we had it in a park. I have a photo of my nephew Brian
holding my son, a few months after his son was born he took a photo of my son
holding his son so it is kind of full circle in a way.
the other similarity is that my great nephew is having his first birthday at a park.

I have a great feeling that these two are more than just cousins I believe they are kindred spirits.

Champions

" Champions -aren't made in gyms
Champions are made from something
they have deep inside them, a desire,
a dream, a vision.
They have to have the skill and will
but the will must be stronger than the skill"

Muhammad Ali

Choices

Three choices you always have

Wherever you are be there totally
If you find your here and now intolerable
and it makes you unhappy you have three options

1. Remove yourself from the situation
2. Change it
3. Or Accept it totally

Eckhart Tolle

The Winner Is

Notice the T-Shirt John Travolta
is wearing? It is a U.C. Santa Cruz
Banana Slug shirt and he wore this
in the movie Pulp Fiction,
we learned the reason he wore this T-shirt is
because at the time Pulp Fiction was being filmed
the director Quinton Tarrentino's girl friend was attending U.C. Santa Cruz!
and he wanted the shirt in the movie!!

This past Saturday my son attended a
reception from the chancellor of
U.C. Santa Cruz he had a very good
time,

Sunday we went up to the campus
for a backstage tour,
and well our son decided that this was going to be the college for
him for the next four years! we checked out the dorm rooms
wow! they are small he is going to ask for a double which means
it would be him and one other room mate and well it only has
two long twin beds, two 3 drawer dressers and 2 small desks and they each get a little
closet. ( this will be one of many real college experiences because he has had his own
bed room for quite some time!!!) each section of dorms ( or colleges as they call them )
are all coed, bathrooms, a little laundry room, they have a common area for T.V. etc a dining area and if they don't like that each college dorm area also has what they call an alternative eatery (better known as fast food) the freshman are guaranteed housing on campus for two years.

when we first toured this campus last year we had a feeling
our son was some how headed here. a few weeks ago when he
got his acceptance notice we had the same feeling but we did not
share this with our son as this was going to be his decision
we kind of knew this was were he was headed as it seems
to be a perfect fit for him. he is planning on being an Anthropology major with a minor in education. This weekend really helped him
to decide that this is where he is called to be.

After the tour we went into downtown Santa Cruz and ate at one of
many eateries called Pizza my Heart it was interesting to see all the college kids
and their families there. and the townsfolk as well. then we walked around and
found some of the quaint little shops. Our son was happy to find a big Trader Joe's
we stopped in the longs drug store and bought him banana slug merchandise
2 sweatshirts, a t-shirt( like John wore in the movie) and a hat. I think he is good
to go in that department( oh take that back he wants a pair of sweat pants!)

we are happy and excited, and support his decision and wow we will get to
visit the coast quite often in the next four years! He and his sister have begun
making plans to hang out, learn how to surf and some other fun stuff that
I don't think I am ready for!

The next step on this college journey we have to attend
orientation in July! then move him up there in Sept
as he begins his adventure on Sept 25th!!!

Lessons

Laugh at your mistakes
but learn from them

joke over your troubles
but gather strength from them

Have fun with your difficulties
but overcome them

these are lessons of life for you